The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-06-23
VETERANS OF THE POTOMAC
Large Attendance of Distinguished Sol
diers at the Saratoga Reunion.
They Invite Lees Veterans to Meet with Them
Next Year at ACKNOWLEDGEMENT Adj
dress by Hon. Chauncey M. Depew.


army corps that composed the Army of the Po-
tomac The various army corps had special re-
unions during the morning At noon the gen.
eral reunion of all the bodies took place at the
Casino where the following vice-presidents.
elected by the corps, were announced: First
corps, Gen. L. Fairchild; Second. Col Edward
A Doudley; Third. A. ]. Clark; Fifth, J. Fl.
Steiner: Sixth, W. e. Pinto; Ninth John S.
Costar; Eleventh, Lieut.. Col Henry Root;
Twelfth Gen JAS G. Rogers; Nineteenth, Gen.
A. W. Greedy: cavalry. 81. T. Bartlett; signal.
Capt. r. B. Wood, ir.
Several resolutions were offered on tho matter
of the return of the captured flags, but all were
laid on the table
Resolutions presented by Gen. D. E.
Sickes, that the next annual meeting be held at
Gettysburg, July l. and 3, 1888, and that the
survivors of the Army of Northern Virginia be
invited to meet with the society. These were
adopted after a ringing speech by Corporal Tan
ner in favor of the last.
Governor Hill and staff arrived at 10 o'clock,
and were met at the depot by the Saratoga Cit-
zens Corps and many citizens, and escorted to
the Windsor Hotel
A storm which came up at o'clock continued
until after 3. delaying the formation of the pro-
cession until $3.50. The procession was formed
with Major general G. Burbridge as chief
marshal, and moved, with the Sixty ninth New
York National Guards in front, with the Four
teenth New York National Guards and the Sara
toga Citizens Corps followed by veterans, to
Woodlawn Park, where Governor Hill and staff,
General Sherman and General D. E. Sickles
were on the stand and reviewed it. The pro-
cession then returned to Monument square and
disbanded.
In the evening Hon. Chauncey NJ. Depew de-
livered the Grafton before large audience in
tile Casino.
In the opening paragraphs OF his speech Mr..
Depew drew a parallel between the thirty
years war and the war of the rebellion, and
alluded to the historic spot where they met
Of the landmarks of liberty, the battle
fought there during the revolution being classed
among the fifteen decisive conflicts of history
Continuing. he said
But it is not to celebrate the victories and
the virtues of the heroes of the revolution that
met here to-day. 1t is for old soldiers
once more to touch elbows for the cordial COM
munion of comrades, for the revival of sacred
"reminiscences and the broader purpose of keep
ing coming generations informed for what you
fought and what you won. Vapid sentimental
lists and timid souls deprecate these annual re-
unions, fearing they may arouse old strlfes and
sectional animosities. But war in which
500 900 men were killed and two millions
were wounded, in which States were devastated
and money spent equal to twice Eneland's
gigantic DEBT has meaning. lesson and re-
suits which to the people of this Republic
liberal education, and the highest chairs in this
university belong to you.
I'VE cheerfully admit that the confederate
equally with the federal soldier believed he
fighting for the right. and MAIN tanned his faith
with valor which fully sustained the reputa-
ton of Americans for courage and constancy.
And yet side the other wrong It
was slavery and disuuion or freedom and union.
and one must not only yield. but die. The God
of battles decided for liberty and nationality,
and surviving soldier who fought in either
army to-day doubts the Righteousness of that
verdict. The best and bravest thinkers of the
South gladly proclaim that the superb develop
ment which has been tho outgrowth of their de-
feat is worth all its losses, its sacrifices and
humiliations The marvellous recuperation of
the whole country in the past twenty years and
our gigantic strides in material progress have
almost obliterated from memory the fact that
these results are solely due to the victories won
by the armies of the Union. Let the youth of
al! sections grow up from generation to gen.
Grafton be taught the lesson and Jim
bued with the sentiment that this
States but Nation, with the right and power
to the last dollar and enlist the last man to
maintain the authority of the Constitution and
the supremacy of the flag. Whoever is offended
by this is not loyal citizen, and should recon
struct emgrate. Engishmen fought against
Englishmen in ;he revolutionary war. and now.
to the modern and enlightened Briton the Fourth
of July is triumphant day as it is for us.
1t won for US Independence and for him larger
liberties and better government l say it rever- |
emily the converted sinner kneels az the altar
and confesses before God and the world the Il
error of his ways the heresy of his opinions, II
and when forgiven and absolved, instead of be- II
ing offended at the repeated celebrations OF the II
event, he glories in the victory, and calls upon
comrades and companions TO share his happiness. n
The results of the civil war were en- bodied in the II
Constitution and embedded in the laws of the 4
land, and loyal minds and loyal hearts, mat
ter which side they fought, hold that the OBJ |
servance and enforcement OF such laws in letter |
and in spirit the tests of true citizenship and
honest patriotism.
I'VE are surfeited in these times with careful |
calculations and rigid estimates of the value OF |
the services of the men who fought this war. |
In popular discussions it is widely taught that |
'pensioner' is term of reproach instead of hon. |
orable recognition of the country's gratitude I |
remember, when a boy, that the most distin- |
guished guests at all patriotic celebrations |
the venerable men whose names were borne on |
the pension-roll of the army. II was q decora- |
ton. and carried with it the distinction of the |
medal and ribbon of the Legion of Honor. Fraud |
upon the pension fund is capital crime, and |
merits the severest punishment but the princi- |
Piles upon which it is founded and the purity /
with which it is administered reflect credit alike |
upon the giver and the recipients. The men who
at compensation of $13 a month left behind |
them prospects for promotion In their profess
sions, wealth in their business and competence |
from their industries and for four years marched |
under blazing suns, slept upon the ground,
breathed the miasma of the swamps, were
racked with the fevers of the jungle. and amidst
shot and shell and saber thrust kept their colors
alofs, and bore them to the capital in triumph.
secured for the sixty millions of people of this
Republic and their descendants, those unequal
ed civil and religious rights and business op-
which make this land the one coun-
try in the world where people of all nationalities
are seeking homes, and from which no man ever
emigrated
This is a republic, and neither mammon nor
anarchy shall be king The American asks only
for fair field and an equal chance He believes
that every man is entitled for himself and his
children. to the full enjoyment of all he honestly
earns. But ne will seek and find the means for
aradicating conditions which hopeessly handi-
cap him from the start. In this contest he does
not want the assistance of the red fag and he
regards with equal hostility those who march
under that banner and those who furnish ex-
.use for it's existence. The men who, in 1880,
cornered' our wheat product and artficially
raised the price all over the world that govern
nents and peoples pushed railroads through
indian plains to the Himalayas, across Russian
steppes to the arctic zone, and over Australian